AD / THIS POST CONTAINS GIFTED PRODUCT FROM UK SWIMWEAR. ALL WORDING & OPINION EXPRESSED IS MY OWN, NOT OF THE BRAND.

I’ve figured I have a love-hate relationship with swimming. I like the idea of going, I just lack the motivation! But while I’m not the most competent swimmer, it’s not the actual swimming that’s the problem for me – it’s the whole drama that goes with it. The nervous parade to the pool when you think everyone’s judging your body, and then when you’re done you’ve got the whole battle of getting dressed in a tiny, stifling hot cubicle. Often I’m too discouraged to go swimming so it takes a heck of a nudge to push me.

You know how you go shopping for a new dress to wear on a big night out? Well that’s exactly my way of thinking where swimming is concerned – new swim attire is necessary. There’s no worse feeling than the despair found in an old swimsuit you last wore when you were two sizes smaller before you were pregnant – trust me, I’ve had the swimsuits and bikinis out and it’s dampened my spirit like nothing else can. So what do you do when you feel too self conscious and deflated at just the thought of swimming? You forget it and find something that does fit and makes you feel amazing.

My lovely friends at UK Swimwearare total experts in the swimwear field and I always feel like I can rely on them to help me find the best swimsuit. I am so selective and particular about my needs (big boobs and big hips are a curse as they are a blessing) so it’s a bonus to know somewhere I can happily purchase from and return to quickly and easily. So for the purpose of this review post, UK Swimwear provided me with my choice of swimsuit for free.

Now, I last tried a Gottex swimsuit last year when I reviewed the Java High Neck. Sometimes I just feel comfortable forgetting cleavage for the day and donning a high neck, so I do still like this one. But wanting something totally different and a bit more eye catching, I spotted the gorgeous Profile By Gottex Java Cross Back swimsuit: the prettiest colour and the most striking back detail you ever did see.

The Java Cross Back swimsuit from Gottex by Profile is a stunning piece of fashion-driven and shaping swimwear, making it equally suited for the leisure centre or luxury resort. I chose to wear it on a pamper spa day which made me feel super glam while relaxing in the jacuzzi.

In a choice of two vibrant solid colour ways – turquoise or pink – the super slinky Java Cross Back boasts a gently v-shaped neckline with light bust support and soft cups, reinforced tummy control and statement macramé detailing.

The fabric ruching at the tummy area is both a clever trick of the eye offering an illusion narrowing at the waist and acts as an eye-catching central detail. I love the look of gathered fabric in this fashion so it’s a pretty style feature.

But as beautiful as the whole swimsuit design is, it’s undeniably the intricate display of exotic macramé that makes it so visually appealing. This age old knotting art form is fully celebrated in the creation of Gottex Profile’s exquisite fashion forward swimsuit. Utilising the same stretchy swimsuit fabric and forming the shoulder straps which extend from the front of the scooping neckline, the macramé detail crosses over between the shoulder blades, creating the beautifully knotted X.

Now the only downside to Gottex I’ve personally found is that the dimensions of their sizes never seem to work well with my body shape which totally makes me want to go all tantrum-like on them for not being particularly curve friendly. (How very dare they when I love them so!) Being busty with equally broad hips, I tend to struggle finding the right size that doesn’t mean sacrificing leg room or gaining extra fabric around the tummy.

The largest size available – a UK16 – fitted me most comfortably around the leg so I had no digging into my (fat) thighs. The medium cut leg is actually super comfortable too. But subversively I found the general body too big, which meant the cups (which were very small and only capable of lightly covering) and shoulder straps wore too loosely. Ironically, had the straps been regular and plain like you typically get on a cross back swimsuit, they may have had the functionality of adjustable sliders, so I could have remedied the length issue. But sadly because of the straps being the beautiful macramé that they are, and being of that totally stretchy material, they lack the adjustability that they really do need. The result meant a day spent feeling totally aware (okay, paranoid) of a much bigger cleavage I’d thought I’d have on display because the swimsuit just wanted to pull down at the front and made my leisurely swim more comely than casual.

So with all this in mind, the UK14 would probably have been the most fitting size for me, if only the legs weren’t too tight. Or maybe tighter elastic around the thighs would have been more bearable than a massive cleavage, who knows? Oh the dramas!

Putting size setbacks aside, the shaping Gottex Profile Java Cross Back is an absolute stunner. It’s divine. It draws eyes. And you’ll probably not find a more gorgeous swimsuit as this one.

What does your ideal swimsuit look like? Do you find swimwear shopping a fruitless task?